Cushioning mechanism



Oct. 25, 1932. 5, BARRQWS 1,884,520

CUSHIONING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 23, 1929 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 J nnirrn STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD S. BARROVVS, wO]? ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A. CORPORATION OF MARYLAND CUSHION ING- MECHANISM Application filed. August 23, 1929. Serial No. 388,012.

This invention relates to cushioning mechanism particularly adapted for railway vehicles and, more particularly, a friction draft gear preferably employing plate springs as resilient means.

The principalobject of my invention, generally considered, is to provide a double end diagonally symmetrical draft gear comprising few and readily constructed parts adapted for the efficient generation of cushioning resistance.

Another object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism particularly adapted for railway-rolling stock and comprising a pair of cooperating housings with preferably integral projecting wedge portions, the wedge portion of one being received in a pocket in the other, each housing also containing a friction shoe resiliently pressed against the wedge of the other housing to provide the required resistance to compression of the mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a friction draft gear comprising a pair of housings, each of which is formed with an oppositely offset wedge preferably integral therewith and a pocket receiving a friction shoe, and preferably curved plate springs urging said shoe against the wedge of the cooperating housing, friction surfaces being provided in longitudinal planes between the outer surfaces of the wedges and walls of the housings, transverse friction surfaces being provided where the shoes engage the end walls of the housings, and diagonal friction surfaces being provided where the shoes and wedges engage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view of one embodiment of my cushioning mechanism.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a modi- .fication on the line 33 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters and first considering the embodiment of my invention, there is shown cushioning mechanism 1 especially adapted for use as a railway draft gear with any usual or desired type of draft rigging. Said mechanism comprises a pair of friction elements preferably .formed as similar housings 2, each of which comprises a preferably integral wedge portion 3 extending from one end thereof and having a longitudinal wall 4 adapted to engage a corresponding wall 5 of the associated housing 2, the engaging surfaces of said walls providing friction surfaces to assist in generating the required cushioning resistance. Each wedge portion is also formed with a diagonally extending wall 6 connected at its end to the longitudinal wall 4 by an end Wall 7 and side walls 8.

The wedge portions heretofore described are preferably transversely offset one from the other, as illustrated in Figure 1, so that when fitted together or interlocked, as illustrated, they pass one another, the wedge portion 3 of one housing fitting in the pocket or .housingportion 9 of the other with the adj acent surfaces of the walls 4 and 5 in frictional engagement. The housing portion or pocket 9 of each member 2 is adapted to contain a friction shoe 10 formed with side walls 11, an outer end wall 12 normally in frictional engagement with the end wall 13 of the associated housing 2, an opposite end wall 14, and

a diagonally extending wall 15 normally in frictionalengagement with the diagonal wall 6 of the associated wedge portion 3. Those portions of the walls 11, 12 and 14 opposite the diagonal wall 15 preferably extend longitudinally of the gear. The walls 11 and 15 are desirably rigidified by internal ribbing or webbing 16.

In order to hold the friction members in engagement one with the other and provide for releasing of the gear, resilient means 17 preferably in the form of sets of curved plate springs are disposed in the pockets 9 between the shoe 10 in each housing and the wall of the housing opposite the wall thereof. It will thus be seen that the springs 17 normally press the shoes into frictional engagementfnot only with the associated wed es 3, but also with the end walls 13 of the ousings and also affect the frictional engagement between the walls 4 of the Wedges and the"walls 5 of the housing. It will be apparent that the longitudinally extending walls of the housings are preferably normally aligned so that, when assembled, they form a gilegr normally rectangular in outline, the wa 4 of the wedge portions being inwardly offset a distance corresponding to the thickness of the walls 5 providing shouldered portions 18 on the housings adapted to limit telescoping movement therebetween. Said movement may also be limited by engagement between the transverse wall portions 19 defining the openings 20 in the housings for receiving the wedge portions 3 and the engagement between each wall 7 of the wedge portion and the corresponding wall 13 of the housin Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, a construction is there disclosed which is very similar to that of the first embodiment in that a pair of similar or identical housings 2 are provided each formed with a wedge portion 3 received in a pocket .9 in the other housing, each pocket 9 enclosing a friction shoe 10 and resilient means preferably comprising sets of curved plate springs 17. Instead of having the sets of plate springs disposed as paired groups with the convex sides of the groups in engagement with one another, the springs in the present embodiment are oppositely disposed, that is, with their concave sides toward one another. In order to prevent the ends of the spring groups 17 from slipping away from balanced contact, a

separator 21 is disposed between each pair of groups. In order to prevent the edges of the springs from slipping off the separators and gouging the gear housing, said separators are provided with fragmentary flanges or lugs 22, the outer of which flanges are uided in slots 23 in the end wall 13" in the ousing, and the inner of which are guided by engagement with the corresponding wall portions 19. Except as specifically described in connection with the present embodiment, the same may correspond with that of the first embodiment.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have devised cushioning mechanism'particularly adapted for use with railway draft rigging, and composed of few and simple parts, while providing for longitudinal, transverse and diagonal friction surfaces, as well as adequate spring releasing means. It will be seen that the gear is diagonally symmetrical and may be divided into two equal groups of parts, each group comprising a housing with a Wedge shaped projection, a friction shoe, and preferably a set of curved plate springs. It will also be apparent that the diagonal friction surfaces are normally approximately alined with one another and some or all of the friction surfaces of the mechanism may be formed with lead inserts 24 or other means for providing smooth action or obviating sticking.

Althou h I have disclosed certain preferred em odiments of my invention, it will be understood that the same are merely illustrative and that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It .will be understood that the gear is used with the relatively narrow longitudinally extending walls of the housings disposed horizontally or vertically depending on whether or not a horizontal or a vertical yoke is employed as part of the associated draft rigging.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. Cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of housings, an integral wedge portion projecting from each housing with the end normally received in the other housing, each wedge portion being laterally offset to provide a stop shoulder adapted to be engaged by a portion of the other housing to limit movement toward each other, a friction shoe in each housing cooperating with the wedge portion of the other housing, and springs in said housings acting transversely on said shoes.

2. Cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of housings each formed with an integral projecting wedge portion and a friction shoe and spring pocket, the wedge portion of one housing being offset in the opposite direction from that of the other housing, so that said wedge portions pass each other with the end of each received in the friction shoe and spring pocket of the other, a friction shoe in each pocket, the wedge portion on each housing adapted to be engaged by a portion of the other housing for limiting movement of said housings toward each other, and plate springs disposed between each shoe and a Wall of the corresponding pocket for urging said shoe into engagement with the wedge portion of the other housing.

3. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing, a wedge block integral therewith, a friction block in said housing, and resilient means disposed to one side of said block for urging it transversely of the housing, a corresponding housing formed with an integral wedge block, containing a friction block and resilient means and cooperating with the first housing, so that the wedge block of each housing engages the friction block in the other housing for generating frictional resistance and stop shoulders on said housings serving l s to limit movement thereof toward each other.

4. Cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of housings, a wedge portion projecting from each housing, said wedge portion having an outer longitudinally extending friction surface inset from the extreme outer surface so as to cooperate with the corresponding inner friction surface on a wall of the other housing and leave a shoulder adapted to be engaged by said wall at the end, of the closing movement of the mechanism, and a diagonally extending friction surface on the other side of said Wedge portion, a friction shoe in each housing formed with a transverse friction surface normally engaging a corresponding inner surface on the housing and a diagonal friction surface normally engaging the diagonal surface on the wedge of the other housing, and resilient means disposed between each shoe and its housing for holding the friction surfaces in engagement with one another.

5. Double ended diagonally symmetrical cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of housings each formed with a wedge portion, transversely offset to provide a stop shoulder and with an inclined inwardly disposed friction surface received in the other and enclosing a friction shoe and resilient means, the parts being so arranged that the resilient means in the housings are on a diagonal line intersecting the line through the friction means therein and the inclined friction surfaces are normally approximately alined with one another.

6. A housing for friction cushioning mechanism comprising top, bottom, side walls and end walls, one end wall being formed with a wedge shaped extension offset from an opening therein adapted to receive a corresponding extension and leave a stop shoulder, whereby said housing is adaped to interfit with a similar housing and is provided with means to limit telescoping movement therebetween.

7. Cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of housings each formed with an integral projecting wedge portion and a friction shoe and spring pocket, the wedge portion of one housing being oifset in the opposite direction from that of the other housing so that said wedge portions are adapted to pass each other with the end of each received in the pocket of the other, a friction shoe in each pocket, a nest of curved plate springs disposed between each shoe and a side wall of the corresponding pocket for urging said shoes into engagement with the wedge portion of the other housing, each nest of springs being arranged as two groups with the concave sides facing one another, and a separator disposed between each group of springs, each separator having guiding lug portions, the corresponding walls of said housings being arranged to guide said lug portions for holding said separators in place.

8. Cushioning mechanism comprising a friction element formed with a pocket, a friction shoe in said pocket, a nest of curved plate springs disposed between said shoe and a side wall of said pocket, said springs being arranged as two groups with the concave sides facing one another, a separator disposed between said groups of springs, said separator having guiding lug portions, the corresponding walls of said friction element forming said pocket being arranged to guide said lug portions for holding said separator in place, and another friction element formed with a wedge portion engaging said friction shoe and adapted to compress said springs upon movement toward said first-mentioned friction element.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DONALD S. BABRCNS. 

